


Never Gonna Be Alone (Henry)

by politics_and_prose



Series: This is my family; I found it, all on my own [1]
Category: Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-15
Updated: 2018-12-15
Packaged: 2019-09-18 14:19:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16996626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/politics_and_prose/pseuds/politics_and_prose
Summary: The boys wake up to a special surprise.





	Never Gonna Be Alone (Henry)

**Author's Note:**

> This came from a prompt I gave tuppenny for her awesome holiday-themed one shots (if you're not reading them, you should be). She said I should do it so ... I did. :)
> 
> The prompt: instead of Henry surprising his mother, his mother surprises the boys with a full, hot meal for the holidays.

_Thump thump thump._

_Thump thump thump._

“The hell is that?” Race groaned as he turned over and pressed his face into his pillow. 

_Thump thump thump thump thump._

“S’the door,” Albert answered. “Go ge’it.”

“Ain’t fa’ me,” Race answered as he pulled the pillow over his head. “S’not even sun up.” 

_Thump thump._

_Thump thump thump thump thump thu –_

“ _Oh._ That door really needs to be fixed.”

Henry’s head popped out from underneath his blankets, hair askew and sleep dust in his eyes. “I know that voice.”

“Good,” Race grumbled as he tossed his pillow. “ _You_ go take care’a it.”

Henry wiped at his eyes and yawned, scrubbing his hand through his hair as he pushed off his blankets and climbed out of bed. He shuffled over to Smalls’ bunk and stole back the shirt he’d let his friend borrow the day before, sliding it over his shoulders. He yawned again as he made his way into the bathroom to splash some water on his face and brush his teeth. It was early but the voice had been way too familiar to go back to bed and wait to see if it stayed.

If _she_ stayed.

“S’goin’on?”

With a grin, Henry reached down and ruffled Mush’s hair. “Go back to sleep. I’ll come getcha if I need ta’.”

Mush mumbled something and rolled over, pressing his obviously cold nose into Spec’s calf, which made his friend grunt and kick out. Before he had to break up a fight, he chuckled and headed out of the room and for the stairs.

He took them two at a time, grinning when he heard a second familiar voice.

“No, there’s gotta be more than that, Ma! We should just let then get their own.”

“Get their own what?” he grinned as he leaned against the doorway that led to the small dining area, watching as his three sisters and mother tried to put together something that he couldn’t quite make out.

“Henry!”

“Minnie!” he chuckled, scooping up his youngest sister as she launched herself at him. “What’s all this?”

“Breakfast!” she answered, grinning wide enough for him to see she’d lost one of her front teeth. She was growing up so fast and he was missing so much of it. But he was making enough money to keep his family fed, while his mother and oldest sister worked to keep a roof over their heads. One day, he would be there for the milestones, he was sure of it.

“Breakfast?” he asked curiously. “For us?”

“You boys work so hard,” his mother said as she approached and gave him a kiss on his cheek. “We thought it might do you some good to get something warm in your bellies before heading out to the street.”

He looked over to Helen and Jennie. “And you two thought this too?”

“No,” they answered at the same time, grinning. “But Ma said we had to help,” Helen added, “and I thought I could give you a haircut.” She ruffled his hair and gave him a kiss on his other cheek.

“So go wake up your friends while we finish up in here,” Jennie added. “Especially Finch.”

“Stop being gross,” Henry retorted as he wrinkled his nose. “You’re too young for boys, and too good for boys like us.”

“I know,” she replied with a grin. “But I like his curls. And smile. And stories.”

Groaning, Henry pushed her away and headed for the stairs. “Stay away from Finch,” he called over his shoulder, ignoring the giggles that followed him all the way back up to the bunk room. 

It took a little time and a lot of cajoling, but he got all the boys awake. He purposely didn’t tell them that there was a hot meal waiting for them downstairs, wanting to prevent them from falling all over each other in sleepy hazes as they tried to get to the sausage he’d smelled and whatever else his family had cooked up.

Once everyone was sitting up and mostly dressed, he stepped to the side and said loud enough for everyone to hear, “By the way, there’s a hot breakfast downstairs.”

There was silence for a moment before Race inhaled deeply, his eyes widened and he took off like a shot for the stairs. “Don’t fall!” he called, laughing, after the stampede of boys running towards the waiting meal. 

The older guys, sans Race, of course, who’d led the way, made their way out of the room at a slower pace. Henry assumed it was because they knew there would be enough to go around and the younger kids needed the food more. They thanked him or clapped him on the shoulder with a smile as they filed out of the room, Finch bringing up the rear.

“Hey, Finch,” Henry said as he walked beside him, slinging an arm around his shoulder, “stay away from Jennie or I’ll soak ya.”

Finch tossed his head back and laughed. “Dontcha worry ‘bout it, Henry. Ya sister ain’t really my type.”

Henry raised his eyebrows and Finch grinned. Shaking his head, Henry chuckled. “Let’s go get some food. S’cold out and the hot meal’ll do us good.”

When they got downstairs, Finch went into the room and got in line for some food but Henry hung back. His eyes scanned the room slowly, a smile on his face as he surveyed his friends. Jack was holding court, as usual, sitting on a table making some of the younger kids laugh as they shoveled potatoes and eggs in their mouth. Race was sitting with Mush, Elmer and Albert, the latter describing something using his hands and the most serious facial expression had ever seen on the boy. All around the room, his friends were sitting down and eating a warm meal that his family had prepared.

Once all of the other boys were seated and eating, Henry approached his mother and sisters. “Thank you,” he said as he pulled each of them into a hug. “This really means a lot to them. And me.”

“You do so much for us, honey. This is just one small thing we could do for you,” his mother said, kissing him on the head. “That, and maybe Helen can give you a haircut.”

Henry smiled and shook his head. “Let’s get something to eat first and then we can argue about that.”

 

 


End file.
